KP and Cutting add spice to Gabba Bash

The rivalry is on between Melbourne and Brisbane as players pour fuel on long-running fire ahead of Wednesday night's blockbuster

Louis Cameron
19 December 2017

Big-hitting Brisbane allrounder Ben Cutting insists the Heat are unfazed by Kevin Pietersen's distaste for the city he's recently labelled a "s**thole", but suggested the Gabba crowd won't hold back in targeting the former England captain during their KFC Big Bash opener against Melbourne Stars.

Fulfilling commentary duties during the first Magellan Ashes Test in Queensland's capital, Pietersen vowed he'd be on the "first aeroplane out of here as soon as the last ball is bowled", with a recent Instagram post (below) from the controversial Englishman captioned with the simple hashtag 'Enough Said'.

Pietersen has a long-running beef with Brisbane, despite playing his 100th Test at the Gabba in 2013 and holding a reasonable record at the venue, where he's scored 235 runs at a tick under 40 in three Tests and an ODI.

Local newspaper The Courier Mail labelled Pietersen "so arrogant not even his own team likes him" after the polarising batsman arrived in Brisbane with dark sunglasses and headphones on during the 2013-14 Ashes.

In naming his 10 least favourite cricket grounds last year, Canberra's Manuka Oval was the only Australian venue Pietersen included before stressing that he had in fact meant to include the Gabba.

"They're a good team and one of the favourites with 'Lynny' and 'Baz' (Brendon) McCullum at the top of the order," Stoinis said on Tuesday.

"But no offence to them, we've got them covered and speaking to 'Zamps' before, he has him (Lynn) covered."

Chris Lynn's plan to take the Bash Brothers global

While uncertain as to whether Lynn will definitely make an earlier-than-anticipated return from shoulder surgery to play on Wednsday, Cutting labelled Stoinis' assertion as Melburnian arrogance.

"That's just a typical Melbourne thing isn't it, they think they're better than us in every way," he said with a laugh.

"Luckily it doesn't turn too much at the Gabba. (Lynn) will hit straight down the line like he did last year."

Louis Cameron is a Melbourne-based journalist. A former Victorian Bushrangers fast bowler, Louis joined the cricket.com.au team with assistance from the Australian Cricketers' Association's Internship Program in 2016.